The Philippine government should ban the controversial movie "The Da Vinci Code," a senior official in the mainly Catholic country said on Wednesday, describing the religious thriller as blasphemous.
The film, based on the best-selling fiction novel of the same title, is due to open in Manila's cinemas next week.
"I think we should do everything not to allow it to be shown," said Eduardo Ermita, executive secretary to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, expressing his personal opinion as a "devout Catholic."

He told journalists the state's censors should take a closer look at its guidelines before giving the green light to the film whose central premise is that Jesus Christ sired a child by Mary Magdalene.
More than 80 percent of the Philippines' 85 million population are Roman Catholic. Along with Malta, the Philippines is one of only two countries in the world without a divorce law and frowns on the promotion of artificial contraception.
"In the name of many like you who love and revere the Son of God made Man, I strongly appeal to you that the showing of the film 'Da Vinci Code' be banned throughout our land," said a Roman Catholic archbishop in a letter to the chief censor this week.
Ramon Arguelles of the archdiocese of Lipa, south of Manila, said the movie was an affront to Christianity, reminding the censors that the government had imposed a ban on another movie, "The Last Temptation of Christ" in the 1980s.
Ermita said Arroyo, also a devout Roman Catholic, has not made any statement on the issue. She is due to return from a four-day state visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday. "It's something that we should not be talking about," he said, referring to the movie's storyline. "We might get struck by lightning."

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My God... it's a freaking movie... these Catholic officials (no offense to any Catholics out there) are molesting our children but they won't allow us to watch a movie... it's really sad that people can't accept this as a work of fiction... it was an interesting novel to say the least...

The Philippine government should ban the controversial movie "The Da Vinci Code," a senior official in the mainly Catholic country said on Wednesday, describing the religious thriller as blasphemous.
The film, based on the best-selling fiction novel of the same title, is due to open in Manila's cinemas next week.
"I think we should do everything not to allow it to be shown," said Eduardo Ermita, executive secretary to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, expressing his personal opinion as a "devout Catholic."

He told journalists the state's censors should take a closer look at its guidelines before giving the green light to the film whose central premise is that Jesus Christ sired a child by Mary Magdalene.
More than 80 percent of the Philippines' 85 million population are Roman Catholic. Along with Malta, the Philippines is one of only two countries in the world without a divorce law and frowns on the promotion of artificial contraception.
"In the name of many like you who love and revere the Son of God made Man, I strongly appeal to you that the showing of the film 'Da Vinci Code' be banned throughout our land," said a Roman Catholic archbishop in a letter to the chief censor this week.
Ramon Arguelles of the archdiocese of Lipa, south of Manila, said the movie was an affront to Christianity, reminding the censors that the government had imposed a ban on another movie, "The Last Temptation of Christ" in the 1980s.
Ermita said Arroyo, also a devout Roman Catholic, has not made any statement on the issue. She is due to return from a four-day state visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday. "It's something that we should not be talking about," he said, referring to the movie's storyline. "We might get struck by lightning."

My God... it's a freaking movie... these Catholic officials (no offense to any Catholics out there) are molesting our children but they won't allow us to watch a movie... it's really sad that people can't accept this as a work of fiction... it was an interesting novel to say the least...

didn't the Nazi's burn books that they didn't agree with??? so now governments are banning movies they don't agree with, wow, I'm glad that the government decides what I can and can not watch....... FREEDOM WHAT???

My God... it's a freaking movie... these Catholic officials (no offense to any Catholics out there) are molesting our children but they won't allow us to watch a movie... it's really sad that people can't accept this as a work of fiction... it was an interesting novel to say the least...

That's a bad analogy. I'm not catholic but come on. You can't point out an entire group for the wrongs of a select few. The people protesting the movie and saying "BAN" are the leaders... NOT the little priests who are molesting children. Big difference.

My God... it's a freaking movie... these Catholic officials (no offense to any Catholics out there) are molesting our children but they won't allow us to watch a movie... it's really sad that people can't accept this as a work of fiction... it was an interesting novel to say the least...

Man, the da Vinci Code book is awsome. It's just so well written. I'm seeing both, X-MEn and da Vinci. They're both gonna be great, unless Cyclops dies. Then da Vinci Code will only be great. But I also have Superman to look forward to.

hey, I'm filipino not catholic though but i think they should show the movie. it'd be ignorance if they go ahead with the banning. it's just a movie based perhaps on fiction or another person's version of the truth.
i've read the book which ironically didn't get as much censure from these people.

Is that sarcasm? or did you really think it was well written. I'm not saying you're not free to hold that opinion but i just found it weird that you would like the writing on this book so much you find the need to point it out. Everyone i know, and online reviews i've read, although they might like the concept and are great supporters of the book, seem to agree that Dan Brown can't write even if his life depended on it.

hey, I'm filipino not catholic though but i think they should show the movie. it'd be ignorance if they go ahead with the banning. it's just a movie based perhaps on fiction or another person's version of the truth.
i've read the book which ironically didn't get as much censure from these people.

And not everyone in the Philippines is Catholic.

let the people have the right to choose!

i am sorry man... i dont know how a country can ban a movie? that is just... well you said it best... ignorant. this is a good example of "PROPER REASONS FOR ILLEGAL DOWNLOADING".

Is that sarcasm? or did you really think it was well written. I'm not saying you're not free to hold that opinion but i just found it weird that you would like the writing on this book so much you find the need to point it out. Everyone i know, and online reviews i've read, although they might like the concept and are great supporters of the book, seem to agree that Dan Brown can't write even if his life depended on it.

well if it was sarcasm then over half the country and a lot of the world was on the same page since it was the best seller for about the whole year... it was on there somewhere... and now it is climbing again with a paper back release! hate it like it... dont matter, cause only a fool can deny it.

and when making a strong opinion... words like EVERYONE I KNOW... dont mean sh*it.

The Philippine government should ban the controversial movie "The Da Vinci Code," a senior official in the mainly Catholic country said on Wednesday, describing the religious thriller as blasphemous.
The film, based on the best-selling fiction novel of the same title, is due to open in Manila's cinemas next week.
"I think we should do everything not to allow it to be shown," said Eduardo Ermita, executive secretary to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, expressing his personal opinion as a "devout Catholic."

He told journalists the state's censors should take a closer look at its guidelines before giving the green light to the film whose central premise is that Jesus Christ sired a child by Mary Magdalene.
More than 80 percent of the Philippines' 85 million population are Roman Catholic. Along with Malta, the Philippines is one of only two countries in the world without a divorce law and frowns on the promotion of artificial contraception.
"In the name of many like you who love and revere the Son of God made Man, I strongly appeal to you that the showing of the film 'Da Vinci Code' be banned throughout our land," said a Roman Catholic archbishop in a letter to the chief censor this week.
Ramon Arguelles of the archdiocese of Lipa, south of Manila, said the movie was an affront to Christianity, reminding the censors that the government had imposed a ban on another movie, "The Last Temptation of Christ" in the 1980s.
Ermita said Arroyo, also a devout Roman Catholic, has not made any statement on the issue. She is due to return from a four-day state visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday. "It's something that we should not be talking about," he said, referring to the movie's storyline. "We might get struck by lightning."

What else does Da Vinci Code's offer when the codes have already been decoded in the book? It's not like Harry Potter where the fans just want to know how the magic is played on the big screen. I don't think all of those who read the book and had their curiousity sufficed would still consider watching it.

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